Tag Archives: pumpkin ales

With Halloween being on a Monday this year, I couldn’t help but think of a way to enjoy the season with a good group of my friends without the mayhem of a full blown Halloween costume party. While I always love a good party, I wanted to find a way to gather friends but take the stress of party planning down a notch. Good news is that I found just the thing and I’m here for you! Think of it this way – everyone is talking about PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) season, but I say move over PSL – there’s Pumpkin Beer to enjoy! I know you’ve seen the amazing selection of bottles with orange and fall-hued labels calling from the shelves at BevMo and Costco – Pumpkin beers are out in force! To host this fun night in, all you need is a variety of seasonal brews, some festive snacks and good company! So grab your favorite beer drinking friends and some Pumpkin brews and host a fun tasting party with these easy tips. Here is how to throw a bewitching beer bash.

STEP ONE :: Set the SceneHave some fun and enjoy a little seasonal DIY’ing to set the scene for your party. A beer-tasting table should be minimal frills and all fun, so think of this like a visit to a local pub with a bit of personal flair. A rustic wood table topped with a simple burlap runner lays the foundation, while the pumpkin beer bottles and food double as both refreshments and centerpieces. Add a few mini pumpkins, some fall-inspired picks and you’re good to go.

STEP TWO :: Everything (and everyone) in placeGive everyone a reason to join the table by adding your guests’ names above each place setting. This personalized touch can help you mix up the crowd by dictating seat assignments while also providing a nice take-away gift at the end of the evening. Set casual quilted mason jars at each place setting to keep the vibe easy going. You can use either the 8 oz. size or the 4 oz. sized jars for this event. With the holidays coming up we’ll be providing lots of ways to reuse either size for homemade holiday gifts so pick a size you’re comfortable using and it will work great.

STEP THREE :: Tap into fall-inspired brews

Since this party is all about the beer, make sure to have some fun and gather at least six or up to eight pumpkin beer varieties. I found that to ensure your guests have fun experimenting with different styles of pumpkin beers I wanted to represent the broad spectrum of lagers, ales, ciders and stouts. The world of beer is booming and most large scale beer companies and micro brewers alike are brewing seasonal beer, you don’t have to understand the difference between a bock and a pale ale in order to throw a great pumpkin beer party. I asked the staff at BevMo and our local Whole Foods Market to give me a variety of beers and they came through with flying colors! Even our local Costco supplied 3 of the amazing beers shown here. What you’re looking for are beers that range in color and variety so have some fun with the selection process and your guests will follow. One essential rule of thumb: beer should be served cold, so keep them in the fridge until ready for tasting.

STEP FOUR :: Get ready to load your plate after some tasting!Now that your beer menu is ready to go, you need to focus on some simple appetizers to serve to keep your guests from getting too hungry (or a little too tipsy!) during your event. Standard issue snack for beer tasting would of course be pretzels for starters. You can buy pretzel sticks, pretzel twists and even pretzel buns if you want to get fancy. Keep in mind that mustard will impact the flavor of the beer, so keep it simple with your pretzel of choice to keep your guest’s palate clear.

STEP FIVE ::Pumpkin beer party time – document the fun!Now that the party is set and the fun is ready to begin, it’s important to help guests document their thoughts and preferences by providing them with a place to write their tasting notes. I just loved these paper place settings which allow guest to pick the top 4 beers they want to try and write in the name for themselves. I found mine here: http://www.hesterandcook.com/products/KP225 . I worked with TheGoodStuff to create this awesome beer tasting template which is available for download HERE, or simply provide guests with a cute mini notebook for them to use to write down thoughts on each beer. After the party is over, guests can take home their notebook as a fun (and useful!) favor along with their nameplate.

To get the party and the conversation moving, encourage your guests to sample multiple types of beer, starting on the lighter end with pilsners or blonde ales, move up in intensity with some heavier beer with the darker porters and stouts. This can be a fun experience for you and your guests but it’s always helpful for you as a host to encourage a discussion with your guests after tasting each beer to help them reflect on how the beer feels while drinking it and what flavors are pronounced.

To help them along, here are some easy suggestions you can provide to direct the conversation and help your guests have a little direction for the tasting:

Look at the beer and describe its color, head (the foam at the top), and consistency. Make a note of this on your placemat or notepad.

Swirl your beer in the glass – this isn’t just for wine tasting! Ask them to pay attention to the aromas that drift from the glass.

Smell the beer. Have them take a couple of quick sniffs with mouth closed, then open. Reflect on the beer’s aroma – make sure they write this down!

Slowly taste each beer by taking a sip and letting the beer sit in their mouth. Note the beer’s body and overall taste, and breathe out during the tasting process. Try sipping the beer again after it’s warmed up a little to note any taste or aroma differences.

Now that you have a party plan on how to gather friends and partake in the amazing seasonal beers for fall, we hope that you’ll follow our lead and raise a glass to the season! I had a blast tasting all of these beers and encourage you to gather up your friends to do the same.